Shoe-treating apparatus



May 19, 1942.

l. B. ANDREWS SHOE-TREADING APPARATUS Filed April 29, 1939 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Wwvrmv y 1942- l. ANDRE W8 2,283,306

SHOE-TREADING APPARATUS Filed April 29, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I. B.ANDREWS SHOE-TREADING APPARATUS 3 sheets-sheet 3 Filed April 29, was

May 19, 1942.

Patented May 19, 1942 SHOE-TREATING APPARATUS Irving B. Andrews,Beverly, Mass.-,' assignor to- United Shove Machinery Corporation,Borough of Flemington, N. J., a corporation. of New JerseyApplicationApril 29, 1939, Serial'No. 270,847

8 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for heating 1 and moistening partsof shoes in process of manufacture, and'is herein illustratedas embodiedin an apparatus designed to include a cowl when used to condition theforeparts of shoes'for lasting, and to-be used without the cowl when-used to condition the counter portions of shoes for heel-seat lastingor to 'softenunattachedthermoplastic stiffening parts such as toe-boxesand counter-stiffeners.

An objector the invention is to provide an improved heatingandvapon-supplying unit in which much or little vapor without excessiveheat, and much or little heat without excessive vapor may be supplied tothe work and easily regulated, as conditions may require.

Another object is toprovide animproved cowl which, while effective toconserve the heat at the bottoms of foreparts of shoes, will dissipatethe heat at the sides and tops ofthe foreparts and at the same timeprevent condensation of vapor on the walls that enclose the work.

One of the features of the invention is. improved means for supplyingundiluted moist vapor at high temperature and atmospheric pressure. Forthis purpose the illustrated apparatus includes a hollow unit forming.an expansion chamber and a superheating chamber .both of which excludeair. Steamsupplied to the expansion chamber is condensed therein tofurnish moist vapor at atmospheric pressure and rises therefrom to flowthrough the. superheating chamber from which it, is emitted in .contactwith the work before being diluted with air.:

As herein shown; the .top wall ofthe :superheating chamber is used tosupport the work by direct contact therewith, thereby avoiding thediluting and chilling efie'cts of air before. the moist vapor has doneits work. Moreover, the upstanding walls of the superheating chamber arehollow and supply radiant: heat to'the vaporin that chamber. Pressuresteam: flowing through these hollow walls will maintain theirtemperature above that of the enclosed vapor and may be condensedthereafter in the-expansion chamber to supply the moist vapor.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of. an apparatus embodying the invention,portions of which are broken away to disclose details of interiorconstruction;

Fig. 2 is a top-plan view thereof in which pora superheaterof. themoistening unitbeforeany of. thevapor-supp1ying unit (see line III+-IIIin Fig. 1);

Fig. 4 is -a vertical. section indicated. by line IV-IV in Fig. 1; g

Fig- 5 is an end elevation of the apparatus as viewed. from rightto.1eft;-

Fig-Bis a top plan. view partly in horizontal section of thevapor-supplying- :unit -(see broken line VIVI inFig. 1).;

Fig.7 isan elevation of a a headerthat forms the left-end wall of thevapor-supplying unit;

Fig. 8 is an elevation, of acorrespondingheader that forms theright-endwalloithe vapor-supplying unit;

Figs. 9 andlo represent respectively a vertical section and a frontelevation. of .a modification in. which. the pipingisarrangedto conductall the steam through thecowl: and thencethrough of it may be deliveredto the vapor chamber of themoistening unit; g

The vapor-supplying unitis. a hollow closed casing comprisingacaSt-iron. body Ill, cast-iron headers II and I2 fastened thereto byscrews, and aflat plateZlof non-rusting sheet. metal such as brass alsofastened-by: screws to the body In andforming thetopthereof. The frontandrear upright. walls of the body H] .are connected by apartition web.HLthat underlies the plate 22' and is spacedtherefrorn todivide theinterior into a shallow-upper chamber l1 and a-comparatively deep'subchamberl3. Hot moist vapor supplied in the-chamber I3 flows thenceinto the chamber ll through small holes 15 in the partition web It andisemitted through U-shaped slots 23 in the plate 22. This plateis a partof a superheater andalso serves to support the work to betreated. Theslots 23 are of a shapeand size to receivethe pulled-over'lasting marginat the toe end ofa shoe, or theunfastened lasting margin at the heelend,'as the case may be. The vapor-supplying-unit is oblong in plan andhas a capacity for a row of four 'shoes arranged-side by side.

tions are otherwise broken away to disclose de- The headers H and I2(Figs. 7 andB) have holes IE to receive the screws-bywhich they arefastened to the body In and clamped tightly against leak-proof gaskets29. With the piping arranged as in Figs. 1,. 2 and 5pressure-steam isadmitted to the chamber I3' through aregulating valve Hi, the header IIand a pipe --l9;-the delivery end of the latter beingusually--submerbed. in a body'of. water 20 that accumulates in thechamber as a result 'of condensation of steam. Surplus water runs outthrough a drain pipe 2| screwed into a tapped hole 38 in the header I2.The steam may have an initial pressure of five pounds or more per squareinch, but when discharged into the chamber I3 it expan'ds to atmosphericpressure and supplies moist vapor for treating the work.

The vapor-supplying unit comprises improved means for superheating thevapor in the upper chamber l1 and in the upper part of the subchamberl3. In the apparatus shown, the superheater is a pressure-sustainingsteam-conduit comprising ducts 30, 30 cast in the front and rear wallsof the body Ill, and ducts 3| 3| cast in the headers l I and I2. Theseducts form an endless loop that surrounds the upper chamber I! tosuperheat the vapor therein, but they also extend below the partitionweb 4 to supply some heat to the water and the vaporinthe chamber 3. maybe maintained at temperatures above .that of the vapor, according to thepressure of steam in this loop. Consequently, in flowingon'the partitionl4, through the chamber I! and on the plate 22 the vapor may besuperheated to the most desirable temperature when it reaches the ports23 in ,whichthe work is exposed for treatment. The plate 22 is heatedand supported by its contact with the walls of the ducts 30 and 3| andbosses 35 formed on the partition web M. I

Theroutine of pulling over the toe of a vamp includes the driving of atack in the middle of the toe, in consequence of which two cars areformed in the lasting margin. These ears, one of which is indicated at36 in Fig. 4, may enter the superheating chamber 'I'l through a slot 23to receive the full effect of; the heat and vapor in thechamber. Eachslot 23 provides a worksupporting tongue 31 (Figs..1, 2 and- 6) of ashape and size to mask the insole-of a shoe, and the holes l in thepartition l4 are located in register with the tongues respectively.Consequently, the streams of vapor issuing from the holes I 5 aredeflected horizontally against the lasting margins of the uppers withoutwetting the insoles which are protected by the tongues.

When aforepart is located for treatment, the heel-seat portion of theshoe is supported by a bar 24 having a capacity forfour shoes side byside. This bar has an arm 25in which a slot 26 is formed to receive aclamping screw 21 provided with a hand-nut; The screw extends throughthe slot 26 and is screwed into a sta-. tionary supporting bracket 28.This connection providesfor adjusting the work-supporting bar 24 up anddown as well as toward and from the work-supporting plate 22.Pressure-steam is admitted into the duct 3| of the header l I through aregulating valve 32, and the steam, divided into two streams in thisheadenflows through both ducts 3|] and is reunited in the duct 3| in theheader l2, from which itis conducted by an exhaust pipe 33, preferablyprovided'with a regulating valve '34. Theh eat thus supplied to thewalls of the ducts 30 and 3| may be regulated in part by the inlet valve32 and in partby the exhaust valve 34 which, for the sake of efficiency,should be nearly closed to maintain some pressure in the ducts. Sincethese ducts are in contiguous thermal relation to the-web I4 andsurround it, this web All the walls of the chamber sides and top of theforeparts.

and the unobstructed portions of the emission ports 23 even when theplate 22 is loaded with a full complement of shoes. Consequently, thevapor in the superheating chamber flows slowly and remains in thechamber long enough to be superheated by the radiant heat from the wallsof the chamber.

To insure the desired localization of heat and moisture supplied to theforeparts of pulledover shoes, and especially shoes provided withthermoplastic toe-boxes, the present invention also includes an improvedcowl 40 to enclose the foreparts while they are undergoing treatment.This cowl not only conserves the heat adjacent to the plate 22 but alsocomprises a feature that prevents excessive heating and moistening ofthe It does this by inducing streams of outside air to flow into thefront-of the cowl and along the sides and over the insteps of the shoesand thence to an outlet 'at the top'of the cowl, thereby bathing thesides and tops of the Vamps in comparatively cool air in which the*usedvapor is entrained and removed from' the shoes after doing itsworkon toward both ends and provided with an outlet stack 4 If desired,an exhaust pipe may be connected to the stack'to discharge the usedvapor outdoors. The front wall of the cowl is'provided with fouropenings 42 through which the foreparts may beinserted into individualnests or treating stations separated from each other by partitions 43.-'These partitions do. not extend quite to the top of the cowl but leave acommunicating passageway 44 through which the used vapor from all thenests may flow to they stack 4|. The partitionsand the end walls arecored or bored vertically to receive long screws '45 by which thecowlmay be secured to the lower casting ID, the bosses 35 of the latterbeing bored and tapped to receive the 'screws.'

Al pressure-sustaining steam-duct 46 cast in the cowl extends from endto end thereof across all the nests "and is located wholly above thetreating stations. Steam supplied to this duct heats the w'alls'andpartitions of the cowl enough to prevent'condensation of the used vaporon them. The duct is preferably located in or next to thefro'ntwall andis so shaped that it presents a large area of heating surface to the airand vapor flowing on its bottom and on its rear side in the manifoldpassageway 44.

Pressure-steam is supplied to one end of the duct 46 and discharged fromthe opposite end, and the steam so used, or some of it,'may be usedthereafter to heat the lower casting ID with or without furnishingvaporin the chamber I3. So far as economy of'steam is concerned, the

steam may flow through the duct 46 before or after flowing through theducts 30 and 3|, but the piping herein shown is arranged to supply thesteam first to the duct 46 and thereafter to the ducts 30 and 3|. Thisprovides for draining the products of condensation from the duct 46suppliecl to the left-hand end of the duct 46 by a pipe 47 provided witha regulati-ng'valve 4'8 and is conducted from theright hand end'of theduct. Asshown in Figs.- 1, 2, and 5 a pipe 49 forms connection betweenthe discharge end of the duct 48 and the valve 18, while a 'pipe 56forms connection betweenthe duct 46 and 1 the valve 32. High temperatureis desirable to soften the lasting margins of thermoplastic toe-boxesand hot moist vapor is desirable to soften the lasting margins of theuppers, but neither high temperature her much moisture is desirable atother portions of the foreparts. These conditions are satisfied by thedescribed apparatus in which copious supplies of comparatively cool outside air are induced to enter the treating stations through the openings42 and flow along the sides of the foreparts to protect them, while thelasting margins receive the effects of the radiant heat and moist vaporbelow the streams of the infiowing air, but the used vapor and heat thatrise around the foreparts become mingled immediately with the streams ofair and are carried rapidly away to the passageway 44 and thence to thestack 4|.

The arrangement of piping shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 provides forflowing all the steam through the cowl duct 46 and the superheatingducts 30, 3| before any of it may enter the expansion chamber l3.Consequently, greater eniciency in the use of steam is possible withthis arrangement, since the steam that has passed through the ducts 30,3| to satisfy the requirements of the superheater has sumcient residualheat to satisfy the requirements of the expansion chamber l3.

As shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 the headers II and 12 are interchangedwith respect to their locations shown in Fig. 1, the pipe 49 is omitted,and both valves 18 and 32 are omitted. All the steam from the dischargeend of the duct 46 in the cowl flows through the pipe I50, the duct 3!in the header 12, the ducts 3|], 30 in the body In, the duct 31 in theheader l I, and thence through a throttle-valve 60 by which the pressurein the superheater I1 and in the cowl-duct 46 may be superheatingchamber to enclose the vapor between said wall. and the work, meansforsupplying pressure-steam to said heat-radiating element, and-meansarranged to conduct the used steam from'said heat-radiating element anddisregulated. From the throttle-valve 60 the steam,

now considerably reduced in pressure and temperature, may flow throughan exhaust-valve 134 and a pipe I33, or, if the exhaust-valve is closed,it will enter the expansion chamber l3 through pipes GI and I9 and carrywith it the condensate from the upper levels. The body of water in theexpansion chamber l3 will thus be replenished and heated with steam andwater that have passed through the ducts 38, 3| of the superheater.

As shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 10, the casting H] is mounted on a table 52to which it is secured by screws 53. This table also supports thebracket 28 which is affixed thereto by screws 54. The table 52 ismounted on the upper end of a supporting column 55 represented as aniron pipe of large diameter. The lower end of this pipe is provided witha pedestal (not shown) designed to stand on the floor.

Having thus described my invention,.what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A shoe-treating apparatus comprising a hollow body forming anexpansion chamber and for maintaining a body of water to supply vapor,the top wall of said chamber having one or more openings through whichlimited quantities of vapor may flow to shoes stationed above it, a

charge it in thewater in said expansion chamber to supply the vapor.

'2. A shoe-treating apparatus comprising a steam-heatedheat-radiatingelement forming a superheating chamber and having a port to emitsuperheated vapor from said chamber to a work station, means forsupplying pressure steam to said heat-radiating element, means formingan expansion chambenmeans arranged to conduct used steam from saidheat-radiating element into said expansion chamber, a valve in saidconducting means to regulate the pressure of steam in saidheat-radiating element and the quantity of used steam supplied to saidexpansion chamber, and means for conducting vapor from said expansionchamber into said superheating chamber.

3. A shoe-treating apparatus comprising a steam-heated heat-radiatingelement forming a superheating chamber and having a port to emitsuperheated vapor to a work station, a steamheated heat-radiatingelement located above said port and forming a chamber for the work,means for supplying pressure steam to one of said heatradiatingelements, means for conducting the used steam from that heat-radiatingelement to the other, means forming an expansion chamber, a conduitarranged to conduct the used steam from said other heat-radiatingelement to said expansion. chamber, a valve in said conduit to regulatethe pressure of the steam in both of said heat-radiating elements andthe quantity of used steam supplied to said expansion chamber, and meansfor conducting vapor from said expansion chamber into said superheatingchamber.

4. A shoe-treating apparatus comprising a hollow metal structure forminga chamber for vapor, the top wall of said chamber having one or moreports for emitting vaporin contact with the work standing thereon andthe upper portions of the outer walls of said structure being hollow toform a. pressure-sustaining heat-radiator surrounding said chamber,means for circulating pressure steam through said heat-radiator, a valveat the exhaust side of said heat-radiator to regulate the pressure ofsteam therein, and means for conducting steam from said valve and forsupplying the aqueousvapor product thereof at atmospheric pressure tothe chamber surrounde by said heat-radiator.

5. A- shoe-treating apparatus comprising a work-supporting plate havingan opening through which moist vapor may flow to a shoe standingthereon, means forming an expansion chamber below and spaced from saidplate, heat-radiating means contiguousto said plate and said expansionchamber and forming an intermediate chamber to conduct moist vapor fromsaid expansion chamber to the work, said heat-radiating means having apressuresustaining steam-duct surrounding said intermediate chamber, andmeans for supplying pressure steam to said duct and said expansionchamber.

6. A shoe-conditioning apparatus comprising a casing having wallsenclosing an upper chamber and a contiguous lower chamber incommunication therewith, heating means localized in" the walls enclosingsaid upper chamber, means for supplying pressure-steam to said lowerchamber, and means for converting the steam in said lower chamber intomoist vapor, the upper wall of said upper chamber having a port to emitsuch vapor to the work located adjacent, thereto.

7. A shoe-conditioning apparatus comprising a casing having wallsenclosing an upper chamber and a contiguous lower chamber incommunication therewith, one or more of the walls enclosing said upperchamber having pressure-sustaining steam ducts, means including saidsteam ducts for supplying pressure-steam to said lower chamber, andmeans for converting the steam in said lower chamber into moist vapor,the upper wall of IRVING B. ANDREWS.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,285,506. May 19, 19m.

IRVING B. ANDREWS.

7 It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5,first column, line (2, claim 1, after the word "supply" insert-moist---; and

that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction thereinthat the same may conform to the record of the se in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 114th day of July, A. D. 19L 2.

Henry Van Arsdale,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

